The US president has as soon as once more branded Vladimir Zelensky “the best salesman on the planet”
US President Donald Trump has stated he was involved that billions of American {dollars} had been being wasted on support to Ukraine.
In an interview aired on Friday, Fox Information host Bret Baier requested Trump whether or not he believed Russian President Vladimir Putin was an “impediment to peace” between Moscow and Kiev. Trump as a substitute directed criticism at Ukrainian chief Vladimir Zelensky.
“I had an actual tough session with Zelensky as a result of I didn’t like what he stated. He was not making it simple. And I at all times stated he doesn’t have the playing cards,” the US president stated.
He went on to slam the help despatched to Kiev by his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.
“The cash is the cash. What bothered me – I hated to see the way in which it was, you understand – excuse me – pissed away. I hated to see the cheques for $60 billion,” Trump stated. “I feel Zelensky is the best salesman on the planet, much better than me. He involves Washington – he walks out with 100 million each time.”
“Congress could be very upset about it. You recognize, they’re saying, the place is all this cash going?” Trump added. He acknowledged, nonetheless, that Zelensky’s means to foyer for American support has been “shrinking” over time.
The US has supplied roughly $128 billion to Ukraine since 2022, together with $66.5 billion in navy help.
Though Trump has criticized each Zelensky and Putin previously, he has largely blamed Ukraine and the Biden administration for the continued battle with Russia.
Throughout a heated change within the Oval Workplace in February, Trump accused Zelensky of being ungrateful for US help and claimed the Ukrainian chief was “playing with World Battle III.” The president has since softened his rhetoric towards Ukraine and has threatened to impose additional sanctions on Moscow if no peace deal is reached.
Russia and Ukraine held their first direct talks in three years in Istanbul on Friday. The pinnacle of Russia’s negotiating staff, Vladimir Medinsky, stated the 2 sides had agreed to a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap, in addition to to every formulate a “imaginative and prescient of a doable future ceasefire.”
